ALPINE NATURE CENTER

Penumbra and Umbra

  • Home
  • About
    • Volunteer
  • Wildlife
    • Birds >
      • Birds in the Wild >
        • Water Birds
        • Raptors
        • Other Birds
      • Alpine Bird Watchers
      • Aviary
      • Feed the Birds
      • Fat Robins in Spring
      • Two Doves
      • Who's That Knocking?
    • Mammals
    • Reptiles
    • Insects >
      • Insects Identification
      • Tarantula Time!
    • Living with Wildlife
    • Circle of Life
    • Deer Doo
  • Plants
    • Flowers >
      • Blue Flowers
      • Pink Flowers
      • Purple Flowers
      • Red Flowers
      • White Flowers
      • Yellow Flowers
      • Orange Flowers
    • Trees, Bushes and Brush >
      • Trees, Bushes and Brush ID
      • Acorn Bonanza
      • Box Elder Boys and Girls
      • Rabbit vs Sage
      • Juniper Differences
      • Mountain Mahogany
      • White Fir Trees
    • Grasses
    • Invasive Species
    • Fall Colors
    • It's A Mystery Plant
  • Open Spaces
    • Trails >
      • Trail Maps
      • Alpine Nature Hikes
      • Bonneville Shoreline Trail
      • Miles of Trails
      • Three Mines Trail
      • Water Tour
    • Alpine Mountains >
      • Mountain Panoramas
      • East Mountain Boulders
      • Penumbra
      • Glaciers, Lakes and Earthquakes
    • Stewardship >
      • Fire
      • Stewardship Projects
      • Winter Range Planting
      • Deer Guzzler
    • Arboretum
    • Uses
  • Activities
  • What's in Bloom
  • What's New!
  • Who Knew?
    • In Memory - Judy Bush
    • Invasion of the Box Elder Bugs!
    • Leaves Not Leaving
    • Running Waters
    • Missing in Action?
    • Sunflowers and the Sun
    • Cooper or Sharpie?
    • People
    • Who Knew? Archive - 2
    • Who Knew? Archive - 1

The Penumbra Caused by East Mountain

Living in Alpine gives us the unique opportunity to live life in the penumbra for a brief moment each day. When the sun first starts peaking over East Mountain a faint shadow begins to appear. This partial shadow is created from the edge of the mountain, which has a small halo around it. It creates an effect called "penumbra" (pronounced like umbrella). It means "almost shadow" in Latin. The word is most  commonly used when referring to the effects of an eclipse.

When walking in Lambert Park in the summer, it is nice to be out in the cool of morning before "umbra," complete shadows, but in the winter it is nice to get walking in the warmth of full sun!

On November 9th 2018, the sun came rose over the Bowery between 9:02 and 9:03 a.m., creating this series of shadows, going from faint to strikingly stark! Try it in your front yard, and see if the penumbra occurs at the same time next year!
Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
    • Volunteer
  • Wildlife
    • Birds >
      • Birds in the Wild >
        • Water Birds
        • Raptors
        • Other Birds
      • Alpine Bird Watchers
      • Aviary
      • Feed the Birds
      • Fat Robins in Spring
      • Two Doves
      • Who's That Knocking?
    • Mammals
    • Reptiles
    • Insects >
      • Insects Identification
      • Tarantula Time!
    • Living with Wildlife
    • Circle of Life
    • Deer Doo
  • Plants
    • Flowers >
      • Blue Flowers
      • Pink Flowers
      • Purple Flowers
      • Red Flowers
      • White Flowers
      • Yellow Flowers
      • Orange Flowers
    • Trees, Bushes and Brush >
      • Trees, Bushes and Brush ID
      • Acorn Bonanza
      • Box Elder Boys and Girls
      • Rabbit vs Sage
      • Juniper Differences
      • Mountain Mahogany
      • White Fir Trees
    • Grasses
    • Invasive Species
    • Fall Colors
    • It's A Mystery Plant
  • Open Spaces
    • Trails >
      • Trail Maps
      • Alpine Nature Hikes
      • Bonneville Shoreline Trail
      • Miles of Trails
      • Three Mines Trail
      • Water Tour
    • Alpine Mountains >
      • Mountain Panoramas
      • East Mountain Boulders
      • Penumbra
      • Glaciers, Lakes and Earthquakes
    • Stewardship >
      • Fire
      • Stewardship Projects
      • Winter Range Planting
      • Deer Guzzler
    • Arboretum
    • Uses
  • Activities
  • What's in Bloom
  • What's New!
  • Who Knew?
    • In Memory - Judy Bush
    • Invasion of the Box Elder Bugs!
    • Leaves Not Leaving
    • Running Waters
    • Missing in Action?
    • Sunflowers and the Sun
    • Cooper or Sharpie?
    • People
    • Who Knew? Archive - 2
    • Who Knew? Archive - 1